TY - JOUR
T1 - Safety and functional results of early cochlear implant switch-on in children
AU - Marsella, Pasquale
AU - Scorpecci, Alessandro
AU - Pacifico, Concettina
AU - Resca, Alessandra
AU - Vallarino, Maria Vittoria
AU - Ingrosso, Angelo
AU - Luchenti, Stefania
PY - 2014/2
Y1 - 2014/2
N2 - OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety and the possible advantages of early (1-wk) cochlear implant switch-on in children and to compare impedance and ECAP threshold changes between subjects undergoing early switch-on and those undergoing traditional, 1-month switch-on. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary care referral pediatric center. PATIENTS: Seventeen children receiving a unilateral or bilateral Nucleus Freedom cochlear implant were included, for a total of 20 ears. Ten ears were assigned to the early (1-wk) switch-on group and 10 to the control group (switch-on after 4 wks). INTERVENTIONS: Common ground impedance values and electrically evoked compound action potential thresholds were measured from intraoperation until 9 months postoperatively. Speech perception improvements over time were also assessed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Complication rate, impedance levels (kΩ), and electrically evoked compound action potentials (current levels) RESULTS: Early switch-on was well tolerated by patients and did not cause complications. Impedances dropped significantly after switch-on in both groups. They also seemed to achieve an earlier stability in the early switch-on patients, although the difference between groups was not significant. ECAP thresholds showed a similar, nonsignificant decreasing trend over time in both groups. Speech perception improvements did not differ between groups. CONCLUSION: This is the first study investigating the safety and the effects of an early cochlear implant switch-on in children. Results show that such a procedure is well tolerated by pediatric subjects and free from complications. Impedance measurements suggest that the earlier switched-on subjects benefit of lower and more stable impedances than subjects undergoing 1-month switch-on.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety and the possible advantages of early (1-wk) cochlear implant switch-on in children and to compare impedance and ECAP threshold changes between subjects undergoing early switch-on and those undergoing traditional, 1-month switch-on. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary care referral pediatric center. PATIENTS: Seventeen children receiving a unilateral or bilateral Nucleus Freedom cochlear implant were included, for a total of 20 ears. Ten ears were assigned to the early (1-wk) switch-on group and 10 to the control group (switch-on after 4 wks). INTERVENTIONS: Common ground impedance values and electrically evoked compound action potential thresholds were measured from intraoperation until 9 months postoperatively. Speech perception improvements over time were also assessed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Complication rate, impedance levels (kΩ), and electrically evoked compound action potentials (current levels) RESULTS: Early switch-on was well tolerated by patients and did not cause complications. Impedances dropped significantly after switch-on in both groups. They also seemed to achieve an earlier stability in the early switch-on patients, although the difference between groups was not significant. ECAP thresholds showed a similar, nonsignificant decreasing trend over time in both groups. Speech perception improvements did not differ between groups. CONCLUSION: This is the first study investigating the safety and the effects of an early cochlear implant switch-on in children. Results show that such a procedure is well tolerated by pediatric subjects and free from complications. Impedance measurements suggest that the earlier switched-on subjects benefit of lower and more stable impedances than subjects undergoing 1-month switch-on.
KW - Children
KW - Cochlear implant
KW - Early
KW - Electrode
KW - Impedance
KW - Switch-on
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U2 - 10.1097/MAO.0000000000000259
DO - 10.1097/MAO.0000000000000259
M3 - Article
C2 - 24448288
AN - SCOPUS:84894150670
VL - 35
SP - 277
EP - 282
JO - Otology and Neurotology
JF - Otology and Neurotology
SN - 1531-7129
IS - 2
ER -